‘Virat Kohli didn’t have five years of Test cricket left':Paras Mhambrey

New Delhi: The Indian Test cricket team has entered a new phase as two of its greatest players, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, recently announced their retirement from Test cricket. On May 7, 2025, Rohit Sharma made the decision public, followed by Virat Kohli on May 12. In just five days, India lost nearly 200 Tests worth of experience. Former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said the two legends realised they did not have five more years of Test cricket left in them.Their sudden departure from the longest format of the game has left fans and experts emotional and wondering if they could have carried on for a little longer, at least for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. Sadly, like many other Indian greats such as Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and Zaheer Khan, neither Rohit nor Kohli received a farewell match. Their goodbye came quietly through social media posts, which felt too small for such big careers."Virat didn't have five years of Test cricket left in him. You knew that, right? Their individual battles that they fought, they must have realised that it was time," Paras Mhambrey told .Mhambrey explained that both Kohli and Rohit had always believed in giving more than 100% on the field. Once they felt they couldn’t do that anymore in Tests, they chose to step aside. “They always say how valuable they could be in their contribution," he added further."And sometimes, it's the motivation bit. Maybe they were not as motivated to play that format, They'll not be able to give their best to that format. And that's the way they approach. So very selfless approach, both of them,” he concluded.Kohli played 113 Tests, scoring over 8,900 runs, with 29 centuries and 30 fifties. He also holds the record for most Test wins as India’s captain (40). His average dropped in recent years, and the centuries dried up, exposing weaknesses outside the off stump.Rohit’s late rise as an opener brought him success, but poor form in the past year made things tough. He even dropped himself during the Sydney Test in Australia. "If I'm not there 100%, I would rather just be honest... Let me focus on the other format," Mhambrey said about Rohit and Kohli’s thinking.India will surely miss Rohit, Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who also retired earlier this year. "We'll miss Ash, man, I'm telling you. All three of them," said Mhambrey.